PPCC seeks FIR against Joshi in 'dual votes' case

The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) has demanded that a FIR be lodged under relevant sections of the IPC against BJP leader and local bodies minister Anil Joshi and his family members in the 'double vote' case as they had committed forgery.

The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) has demanded that a FIR be lodged under relevant sections of the IPC against BJP leader and local bodies minister Anil Joshi and his family members in the 'double vote' case as they had committed forgery.

The PPCC also demanded their custodial interrogation. The demand was made through a joint statement issued here on Wednesday by PPCC vice-presidents OP Soni and Sardul Singh, general secretary Harpartap Singh Ajnala, secretary Karamjit Singh Rintu and Amritsar DCC chief Gurjit Aujla.

Claiming that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had asked the Amritsar election returning officer (ERO) to file a criminal case against Joshi and his family members, the Congress leaders pointed out that the deputy commissioner has instead filed a complaint in the court of the chief judicial magistrate (CJM). They termed this as an attempt to save the minister.

They said an offence under Section 31 of the Representation of People's Act (RP Act) was a non-cognisable offence and requires immediate arrest of the accused persons.

The Congress leaders further claimed that Joshi had fabricated the documents to enrol as a voter from two places and that he should also be booked under Sections 420, 468 and 120 of the IPC. They also demanded that the election officials concerned of Amritsar and Tarn Taran, who had come to the 'assistance' of the minister should also be booked under Section 201 of IPC, as they had destroyed vital evidence related to the electoral rolls.

The PPCC leaders claimed that chief electoral officer (CEO) VK Singh was soft-peddling the issue. He should issue specific orders to register an FIR.

They said the judicial process would be long and alleged accused being influential might influence the witnesses.

They said Joshi's influence was evident from the fact that the officials of Amritsar and Tarn Taran had, in their reports sent to the ECI, stated that records pertaining to votes of Joshi family are not traceable. They said the Congress would take up the issue with the ECI and would take the case to its logical end.

They also demanded that Joshi be dropped from the cabinet till he gets a clean chit in the case.